Search Results for: Misrata

On 28 March, a meeting was held in Zintan between representatives from the western Libyan towns of Zintan and Misrata. The meeting concluded with the scheduling of a follow up meeting in Misrata and the production of a six point communiqué of shared objectives. On 29 March, the Libyan National Army (LNA) undertook airstrikes on a Chadian militant group checkpoint in southern Libya.

On 1 February, members of the mostly Misratan-staffed Central Region Zone intercepted a convoy of Tawerghan IDPs travelling from Ajdabiya near Bin Jawwad and prevented them from travelling any further west towards their hometown. The incident has received local and international condemnation given an ‘agreement’ was signed ensuring the IDPs could return to their hometown from 1 February.

On 8 January, the ship Andromeda – reportedly on its way from Turkey to Misrata – was found to contain 29 containers of explosives and 11 empty Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) tanks, which the Libyan National Army described as being intended for “building bombs used for terrorist acts.”

The 17 December ‘expiry’ date of the LPA was marked by an official television announcement from Khalifa Haftar declaring the LPA and its institutions expired. Haftar also endorsed ‘elections’ as the only legitimate expression of the Libyan people’s will. The same day, Misrata’s municipal mayor Mohammed Eshtewi was abducted and killed shortly after landing in the city on a flight from Turkey.

The anti-crime department of Misrata published a video ‘confession’ of an ISIS member who revealed details of the beheading of Egyptian Coptic Christians in 2015. On 10 December, the Derna Mujahideen Shura Council (DMSC) undertook a raid on an ISIS cell in Derna that concluded with the arrest of the entire cell and the death of ISIS member.

US Special Operations forces captured 2012 Benghazi Special Mission attack suspect Mustafa al-Imam in Misrata on 29 October. It is reported that Imam was flown to a US Navy vessel and will be transported to the US to face federal prosecution for his alleged involvement in the 2012 attack. On 30 October, the third round of ‘Libyan-Libyan’ meeting between LNA and Misrata military officers was held in Cairo as part of the talks to reunify the Libyan army.

In the wake of the ISIS attack in Mirata earlier this month, on 11 October, clashes broke out between hard-line fighters affiliated with Islamist factions and Misratan security forces, during a security operation in al-Sakt area south of Misrata city. Thirteen people were arrested, including two senior leaders of the BDD. In Washington D.C., Ahmed Abu Khattala is currently on trial for his alleged involvement in the September 2012 attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi that killed 4 Americans.

An ISIS suicide bomb attack which targeted a Misratan court complex in the centre of the city on 4 October, killed four people and wounded several more after ISIS fighters opened fire on the complex and one attacked detonated a suicide belt. Local support of security forces in clamping down against militia members connected with terrorist organizations is rising. It is reported that an ISIS cell was arrested and its armory, including high power explosives, was found in the Ruwaisat area.

Misrata Counter Terrorism Unit arrested a senior member of the BDB, Ahmed Bakir, for alleged cooperation with ISIS and supplying foreign mercenaries to extremist groups. The CT unit also released a ‘confessions’ video of senior BRSC affiliate, Mohammed al-Khafifi, admitting membership in ISIS and claiming that his group had cooperated with the BDB in a number of suicide attacks

On 27 August, Serraj met with Sudanese president Bashir and they agreed to cooperate on security issues with a particular emphasis on fighting terrorism and border security. Misratan security forces arrested Usama Jadhran in Misrata for his alleged membership of Ansar al-Sharia and connections with ISIS.

On 13 August, a delegation of Misratan power brokers and senior BM figures travelled to Qatar to meet with Qatari officials. Media reports say Qatar is prepared to support the BM’s military operations in addition to logistical support. The conflict between the LNA and DMSC deescalated slightly as the LNA eased the full siege it enacted on Derna two weeks ago, but new airstrikes on DMSC positions in the west of the city indicate a potential for re-escalation.

On 1-3 August, Egypt facilitated mediation talks between LNA and Misratan delegations in Cairo. A understanding between both delegations hinged on respect of Libya’s unity and sovereignty, efforts to avoid bloodshed, build a civilian state, discard all kinds of foreign intervention and fight terrorism and criminal groups, including militias.

On 25 July, LNA Commander Haftar and GNA PM Serraj have ‘committed to a ceasefire’ with promises to use force for counter-terrorism efforts only, and to work towards holding presidential and parliamentary elections in the Spring of 2018. Misrata and other Islamist-affiliated members of the PC fear they might loose their role in Libyan power politics if the HCS is dissolved as an interim institution in exchange for new parliamentary and presidential elections.

On 28 June, two ISIS captives being held in Misrata, one Libyan and the other Egyptian, were said to have escaped from the military intelligence agency. In Sabri, the LNA discovered the remains of an LNA officer killed by ISIS in an execution video.

On 2 July, 16 senior political figures from Misrata attended a high profile meeting in Egypt at the invitation of the Egyptian Chief of Staff and the Foreign Minister. On 28 June, Libya’s eastern foreign minister visited Russia to discuss options for a new Libyan-Libyan dialogue

On 17 June, a convoy of anti-GNA militias from Misrata attempted to deploy to Tripoli. However, they reportedly became divided among themselves, cancelled the deployment and most of them drove back to Misrata. On 15 June, 46 HoR members formed a new bloc called the ‘National Consensus Bloc’.

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To monitor the expanding threat posed by the Islamic State's Libyan branch and other jihadi groups in Libya, Jason Pack founded EyeOnISISInLibya.com as a monitoring service detailing the group's history, its interactions with other jihadi actors, and Western actions towards the group. Our aim is to provide a valuable resource for governments, think-tanks, and businesses concerned with jihadi threats and their evolution in Libya.
EOIL is very pleased to be partnering with CRCM North Africa, who is a funding sponsor and with whom we have launched the identical mirror site, Libyan Jihad Monitor. EOIL is a New Jersey registered, 501c3 status non profit organization.